In Her Silence
by Suni-Dlight
Summary: Sequel to In Her Smile : Students are slowly returning for a year at Hogwarts after Dumbledore's death. Among them is not only Draco Malfoy, a reluctant Death Eater, but also a very defiant, very angry Gale Dumbledore.
1. Return of Dumbledore

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N: So this is it folks, the sequel to In Her Smile. I hope you enjoy this. Thanks a bunch.**

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I saw her.

She was still as beautiful as she had ever been.

Her eyes were still that same piercing blue as always.

And she had let her hair grow longer, almost halfway down her back now, and she had dyed white . . . in honor of her Uncle.

I heard she wasn't talking either, using silence to make a point to. I didn't know how long it would work but someone said it was unnerving. She would just sit and stare, eyes hard.

Gale walked past me, in between Longbottom, Lovegood, and Ginny Weasley. She didn't even spare me a glance. She just walked past, eyes straight ahead, back straight, head held high . . . noble.

I had to talk to her. "Gale. . . ."

Of course she didn't turn around.

I started after her, pushing through the crowds of people on their way to class. "Gale, wait. . . ."

If anything, she didn't stop but sped up, long legs carrying her swiftly away while her friends struggled to keep up in the crowded hallway.

"Gale, I'm sorry. . . ."

It wasn't working. She didn't want to talk to me. Weasley glanced at me over her shoulder, glaring. "Go away, Malfoy."

"I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt," I said ignoring her.

Gale stopped.

Did it work? Was she going to talk to me?

She turned, slowly at first –

And then she punched me.

Right in the face, she just punched me.

It hurt too, really hurt. I went falling backwards, landing painfully on the floor. I could feel my lip already swelling, probably even bleeding. When I looked up, it was to find Longbottom and Weasley holding Gale back . . . and she fought against them!

"He's not worth it, Gale!" Longbottom was telling her.

"Gale, please, you're going to get in trouble," Weasley said.

I wondered briefly if they knew how I had used her, almost got her kidnapped by Death Eaters, almost got her killed too. I wondered if they knew that we had fallen in love and that I had broke her heart to save my life.

If they knew all that, I'm sure they would have let her go.

She wrenched out of their grasps, pulling her wand from her pocket. It quivered in her hand as she pointed it at my throat. Did she know wandless magic? It wouldn't surprise me if she did.

"Miss Dumbledore!" The rest of us looked up as McGonagall came running towards us. She grabbed Gale's wrist with a force I didn't know she had. "Come along, Gale. It'll be alright, just come along."

She pushed the wand down, wrapping her arm around her shoulders and pulling the struggling girl away, Ginny and Neville following after her.

Luna reached down to pick up the books that Gale had dropped in her haste to punch me. Surprisingly, she didn't smile like I was used to or look at me with that goofy expression. She looked quite serious. "Can't say you don't deserve it."

And she walked away.

I got up, ignoring everyone staring at me as I dusted myself off, lifting one of my sleeves to my bleeding lip. It stung but I didn't feel the pain, not really. I felt Gale's hatered, her disgust with me and that hurt more.

You really couldn't say I didn't deserve it. I had killed her Uncle after all. I would hate me too. I was kind of surprised she didn't kill me.

Though I bet she would have if McGongall hadn't come into the picture.

I had never felt this way before about a girl. I would fix it. I had too.

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**Gale**

McGongall pulled Gale around the corner away from Malfoy. She didn't know why. She wasn't going to kill the boy, she was just going to injure him, gravely injure him. He'd live.

"Gale," McGongall said, placing her hands on her shoulders. "You must calm down. You don't know how dangerous it is for you to be here, at the school. One toe out of like and –"

Gale could understand why her Mentor was worrying but she didn't care. She could only see red at the moment.

'_I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt'_? Were those the words that really came out of his mouth? Was he serious?

HER UNCLE WAS MURDERED!! AND ALL _HE_ COULD SAY WAS 'I DIDN'T MEAN FOR ANYONE TO GET HURT'!

Someone grabbed her hand and she looked over to see Neville, Ginny standing behind us. "Harry asked us he wanted us to watch out for you while they were gone, Gale," he said softly. "And we're going to do that. Forget about Malfoy, okay? It's going to be alright."

But why couldn't they see that it wasn't going to be alright? She couldn't just forget about Malfoy! She had – she had mistakenly fallen in love with guy, never mind the fact that he broke her heart into a million pieces.

She took a deep breath though, and leaned back against the wall. For them, for her friends, she would try to keep her composure. She smiled at Luna as the other girl handed her the books she had dropped.

"Professor?" They all looked up at the small boy who was watching them apprehensively. "Er, the Headmaster wanted me to send for you and, um, Gale Dumbledore."

McGonagall bristled slightly at the thought of being sent for by that man, but she nodded. "Very well." Looking back to Gale, she gave her a stern gaze. "Come along, Gale."

Gale realized what that look meant as they walked down the hall towards the Headmasters office. She was to behave, she guessed, in front of the man who killed her uncle.

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**A/N: So this is just the first chapter, that's why its kinda short.. It'll get better I swear (I hope) lol jk. Thanks for reading and I will see you guys next chapter. **


	2. Jasper Ark

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

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Gale sat across the desk from Snape, staring blankly at him. The Carrows stood on either side of him, trying to look menacing and failing. McGonagall stood to the side, angry. "What is this all about, Snape?"

"Patience Minerva. I've only a few questions for the girl." He leaned forward. Gale continued to stare at him. "Perhaps you can tell me, Miss Dumbledore. Where has Potter gone?"

She didn't speak, but instead brushed the white hair over her shoulder.

Snape put his hands under his chin. "I heard that you weren't speaking. Childish. So I'll ask you again: Where has Potter gone?"

Gale still just stared, looking bored. Snape frowned and, if possible, leaned even further towards her, staring back. After a moment, visible beads of sweat appeared on his upper lip. Gale smirked. _Having fun_? She thought.

Practically growling, Sirius stood from the desk, moving around so that he stood directly in front of her. He grabbed her face in his arms, forcing her to look directly into his eyes.

"Snape!" McGonagall said, stepping forward.

"Silence, Minerva," Snape said, visibly straining. Finally, he let go, leaning back against the desk, breathing hard. "I see. I did not know that your . . . home studies included Occulmency."

_Shows how smart you are, _Gale thought.

Snape, however, did not look perturbed and that worried her. He smirked now, grinned actually, evilly. "That is alright. You have this one small victory but it won't last long, I promise you that. There are ways of getting you to cooperate."

He nodded to Amycus who gulped before moving into the room off of Dumbledore's study. Gale still looked up at Snape, who was watching her now, waiting. After a moment Amycus entered, standing again off to the side.

"Hello, Gale."

Gale bristled. It was if someone had dripped cold water down her spine. Goosebumps rose on her arms and her pulse inevitably sped up. The fear must have been obvious in her eyes because Snape's smile widened.

She slowly looked over her shoulder.

Jasper Ark stood there, just as menacing as he always had been. Blond hair hung lanky into his blue eyes. He looked painfully thin but Gale knew that didn't mean anything. He was thin before too, when she had been trapped with him.

_Darkness._

_Pain._

_Suffocating, blinding darkness._

_No air._

_She had to get out of here._

_She had to get out of here._

_SHE HAD TO GET OUT OF HERE!!_

Gale hopped from her seat, running to McGonagall, pressing her face into her shoulder. The woman wrapped her arms around the girl in rare display of comfort, her eyes wide. "Severus. How – how could you?"

"Oh," Jasper said. "And here I was thinking that she would be happy to see me."

He must have been walking towards them because Gale felt McGonagall backing up. "Do not come any closer."

"I'll do what I please. She's really alone now, no relatives left to speak of. I am, after all, her godfather." She felt her hair lift. His fingers passed along her cheek as smoothed her hair back behind her ear. She could feel his breath on her face, knowing that he was right there. "Miss me?"

Gale slung her arm around, catching his cheek with her hand . . . and then she ran, peeling from the office as fast as she could. Behind her, she heard Jasper laughing. Her fear was his pleasure and she couldn't do anything about it.

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**Draco**

When I heard Jasper Ark was here, I knew I needed to find Gale. I passed by Longbottom, Weasley, and Lovegood, who were looking for her too, I was sure, though for other reasons. They didn't know about Ark like I did.

It was on the second floor that I found her. She was curled up in a ball between two suits of armor, shivering. I probably would have never have found her if it weren't for the bright white of her hair.

"Gale." I kneeled down in front of her. "Gale, please."

I don't know whether or not she sensed that I was about to touch her or what, but she looked up suddenly, scooting closer into the wall. She glared at me, reaching out and pushing me backwards, away from her.

"You've gotten violent, I see."

She froze. Almost literally, her body seized up. Jasper approached us, kneeling down next to me. He reached out, taking a lock of her hair in his hand. "Why did you run away, Gale? Why run away from me? You know how upset I get when you don't listen."

I grabbed Gale's arm and yanked her to her feet, away from Ark. "Leave her alone," I said, pushing Gale behind me. Surprisingly, she clung to the back of my robes.

Ark laughed, getting to his feet. He walked towards us and I scooted back, keeping my arms out to block Gale from him. He grinned at me. "Come now, Draco. I have been put in charge of keeping an eye on Miss Gale, making sure she doesn't become too – rebellious in the name of Dumbledore. And trust me, I plan on keeping a very good eye on her."

It was the way he said it that made me cringe. Behind me, Gale's grip on my robes tightened. I glared at me. "Your services are no longer needed, Ark. She'll be under my watch from now on."

"She won't either." I looked over my shoulder to see Weasley, flanked my Longbottom and Lovegood. Weasley came up and grabbed Gale, pulling her away from me and, thankfully, away from Ark, who was still grinning that creepy lazy grin.

"Just stay away from her, Malfoy," Weasley said. Longbottom gripped Gale's hand as they walked away, but she kept glancing over her shoulder, back at me and Ark.

"Until later Gale," Ark said, twiddling his fingers at her.

She blanched and took the lead of her friends, rushing them out of the corridor.

Ark chuckled. "They can't protect her forever. . . . And neither can you," he said, sending me a pointed glare.

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his robes, he left, whistling. I watched him go, angry. I'd keep him away from him. I swear it.

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**A/N: So what do you think so far. Already, the second chapter and we're getting into the nitty gritty. She you next time.**


	3. Defiance

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

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"Muggle's are filth."

Gale clenched her hands on the edge of the desk as Alecto paced back in forth across the front of the classroom, her eyes glinting maliciously. "They are dirty, stinky, filthy animals, not worth the spit they swallow."

_You have got to be kidding me_, Gale thought to herself, rolling her eyes. She absolutely did not want to be here for this.

Grabbing her bag, Gale stood from her seat, walking towards the door. The seventh year Gryffindors that were there with her tensed, watching.

"Dumbledore," Alecto said, "just where do you think you're going?"

Gale put her hand on the doorknob, turning it and pushing it slightly open. Alecto smirked. "Very well. I suppose will just have to send for Professor Ark to deal with you."

Now it was Gale's turn to tense. Her palms became horribly sweaty. She couldn't sit here, listening to this diatribe that Carrow called a listen, but she couldn't face Ark, not yet. She was still too scared.

_Evil laughter._

_Piercing blue eyes that burned her very soul._

_Pain._

_Oh so much pain._

Looking up to the ceiling, Gale closed the door. She gave Alecto the best glare that she could muster before plopping down into her seat. Neville was watching her, confused. She hadn't told him, Ginny, or Luna why she was so scared. Besides, she didn't think she could talk if she wanted too. Her throat always felt constricted.

"As I was explaining, the animals that they are, Muggles are known to be vicious," Alecto continued. "They forced us, we powerful beings into hiding."

_If we were so powerful, how did they force us into hiding?_ Gale asked herself.

"This," Alecto said, gesturing around. "This is the natural order being reestablished."

The rest of the class continued on like that, her telling them how bad Muggles were. Next to her, Dean Thomas clenched his fist. Gale had almost forgotten that he was Muggleborn.

Neville took her hand at the end of class, as he had been doing lately. Gale didn't mind though. It was reassuring having him there when Harry and Ron couldn't be.

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**Draco**

I found myself behind Longbottom and Gale on our way to Dark Arts. His hand was almost always permantly attached to hers and it was really starting to irk me. I couldn't do anything about it of course, not with Crabbe and Goyle flanking me. Crabbe had become strangly defiant as of late and I had a feeling he wouldn't wait a second before selling me out to Snape.

"You can't just try to walk out like that," Neville was telling her. "We don't have a clue what they'll do if we don't listen to them."

I saw Gale glare up at him before she reached into her pocket, holding up something that I couldn't see. Longbottom grabbed her hand. "Put that away before someone sees."

But she didn't. She continued to force it in his face. He sighed. "Fine, fine, we'll talk to Luna and Ginny later."

"What's there to talk about Longbottom?" I said, coming up beside the pair. "Surely you haven't got something to hide."

Gale glared at me. For a moment, I thought she might punch me again or something but if she had wanted to, she didn't get the chance. . . . Longbottom pulled her off to the other side of him, away from me. "Go away, Malfoy."

But we were at the classroom then. The Gryffindor pair walked in and went to the back, setting next to the rest of their Gryffindor friends while Crabbe, Goyle, and I sat in the front. If Gale and her friends were up to something, I needed to find out. There was no way I was going to let her get in trouble with Ark.

Amycus stood in front of the class, a grin on his face. "The Cruciatus Curse. Can anyone explain to me what it does? Hmm. . . . how 'bout you Longbottom?"

Longbottom blanched but if anything, his glared deepened. Amycus's grin grew. "No? Ten points from Gryffindor then."

"For what?" Dean Thomas said, indignant.

"For failutre to coorperate and ten points from you, Thomas, for speakin' out of turn." Amycus turned away from the Gryffindors and looked to us. "Maybe one of you can tell me."

Crabbe, yes, Vincent Crabbe raised his hand. I'm fairly sure I wasn't the only one surprised. "It's the torturin' curse."

"Good, twenty points to Slytherin. Since this class is titled the Dark Arts, I will be teaching you all the Dark Arts, starting with our favorite three curses. Can anyone tell me the other two?"

Behind me one of the Gryffindors murmured, "This is ridiculous."

Amycus twirled around suddenly, pointing his wand towards the last two back rows where the Gryffindors were. We all turned around as Seamus Finnigan hopped up from his seat. A dazed look had come over his face.

The Imperius Curse.

The Slytherins laughed as Finnigan started jogging in place before crouching down, hopping around the classroom like a frog. Amycus looked positively delighted, leading Finnigan towards a wall which I'm sure would have given him a very bloody nose – if it hadn't been for the fact that Amycus' wand suddenly flew out of his hand.

The class gasped, turning in their seats once more.

"Oh no," I muttered. Nobody heard me though. They were too focused on Gale, who was still standing with her wand out, pointed at Amycus.

She had just used magic against a teacher, non-verbal magic at that because no one had heard her say a word.

"FIFTY POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!" Amycus shouted. "And you, Dumbledore, have just earned yourself a detention!"

Gale didn't seem to care at all. She moved over to Seamus, grabbing the boy's arm and pulling him up. He still looked really confused but didn't protest when Gale forced him back into his seat. Amycus reached down and grabbed his wand. "_Expecto Patronum!_" he said pointing towards the door.

A rather large rat left his wand, running down the hallway (talk about ironic). He stood behind his desk, glaring at Gale. The class remained silent, wondering what has happening and wondering who he sent for.

Our questions were answered when Ark walked in, hands behind his back. The fear in the classroom was palpable. Even supporters of Voldemort were scared of Ark.

He looked to Amycus before looking up at Gale. His smile grew. "Come a long, Miss Dumbledore. It seems you and I have to discuss some issues in your discipline."

"You can't make her do a detention in the middle of class!" Longbottom said, trying to help her.

"New Headmaster, new rules, Mr. Longbottom. If discisplinary actions are called for, they will be carried out as soon as possible to avoid further discripancies. Come along, Gale."

Gale had gone completely white. Even from my seat in the front, I could see her shaking. But she stood, picking up her bag. Her head held high, she strode from the classroom, flicking her white hair over her shoulder.

And I watched helplessly.

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**A/N: Hoped you like. Stay tuned for the next one.**


	4. Dumbledore's Army

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

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Gale sat in an armchair of the Gryffindor common room, her knees drawn up to her chest. Neville and Ginny were staring at her, apprehensively. Her eyes was blacked and her lip slightly swollen. But that wasn't why they were staring. No, her friends were staring at her because she looked so angry . . . and scared.

She couldn't help the scared part. She had just been forced to spend twenty minutes in a dark office with her worst nightmare. He had taunted her just by standing close to her. She constantly felt nauseous, not knowing what on earth he was going to do to her. He would just stare at her, occasionally walk around her and twirl her fingers through her. And when she wouldn't talk, wouldn't make any sound, he got angry and hit her, obviously more than once.

But she couldn't tell Ginny and Neville that. To talk would ruin her whole act of defiance. She was trying to prove a point. They had silence Albie, had tried to silence all Dumbledores. She would keep her mouth shut to protect her friends but she would not be silenced, not figuratively at least.

It hadn't started as an act of defiance though. At first, almost immediately after Albie's funeral, she just hadn't felt like talking. She was heartbroken and lonely. She had hoped to see Aberforth at the funeral, but he hadn't been there . . . then again he could have but she didn't have a clue what he looked like. As the last two Dumbledores, she thought they could help each other but – he obviously wanted nothing to do with her. That's when she just didn't talk, not even when Harry, Ron, and Hermione tried to get her to talk. And then she realized she couldn't, even if she wanted to, she couldn't. No sound was coming out of her mouth as if someone had locked up her throat and thrown away the key.

And that's what made her so angry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to shout. She wanted Aberforth to want to be her family. She wanted to talk with Neville and Ginny. She wanted – she wanted to go up to Draco Malfoy and tell him just how much she hated him at the moment.

Neville and Ginny looked at each other. "Gale, you can talk to us," Ginny said, softly.

Oh, she really wished she could. She knew they wanted to know what happened, what Ark did, why she was so scared of him.

But right now, her fear of Jasper didn't matter. She decided while she was trapped with him that she if she couldn't speak out with her mouth, she'd speak out with her actions.

Again, she held up the galleon that Harry had given her just before he left. He told her how to work it so that she could keep in contact with them through Hermione and Ron.

"What do you want us to do, Gale?" Neville asked.

Frustrated, she grabbed her bag, pulling out her parchment, quill, and ink bottle. Neville got up and stood behind her as she wrote furiously, realizing that she was not going to get them to understand with charades.

"'I'm tired of sitting around, doing nothing,'" Neville read. "'I want to do something.' Like what? There's not much we can do without getting in – 'We can fight'. How?"

Ginny reached over and took the coin from Gale. She stared at it for a moment. "We can fight," she muttered. She looked up at Neville excited. "We can fight!"

She stood up, pacing. Neville watched her. "There's only the four of us, Ginny. You, me, Gale, and Luna. What can the four of us do against Death Eaters?"

"It's not just the four of us, Neville," Ginny said. She held up the Galleon again. "That's what Gale's been trying to say. We can bring the D.A. back together. That's what, maybe twenty-six, almost thirty of us?"

Harry had told her all about the D.A. last year and she had loved it. The idea of bringing it back now, Dumbledore's Army . . . it was exciting.

"But who knows if they actually want to do this? Where do we meet? Malfoy knows about the Room of Requirement and it's not like we can meet up in a Common Room or an empty classroom."

"We don't have to meet." Ginny looked to Gale, who was smiling slightly. "We just . . . we just need to show that we're here. We need to show that they can't scare us. That's how we fight. We can't just let them think they've won."

Gale's smile grew. She hopped out of her chair, moving towards the portrait hole. Her friends followed her cautiously, peeking out into the hallway to make sure no one was there. Quiet as mice, they ran through the hallways, Neville nervous, Ginny anxious, and Gale excited. When they got a ways away from the Gryffindor tower, Gale pulled out her wand.

Pointing it at the wall, she began to write. Large, bold, silver letters that looked like spray paint, not like anything that could have been painted by a wand. It had to be just perfect or else it would give Snape and the rest reason to test everyone's wands. Behind her, Ginny and Neville waited patiently. After a moment, Gale stepped back, grinning.

_**DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY, STILL RECRUITING**_

Ginny and Neville stepped up next to her. Ginny grinned, nodding. "Nice," she whispered. "Real nice."

Neville was smiling. "You'll have to teach us how to do that. Come on. We need to get back to the Tower."

Laughing quietly, the three of them ran just as quietly as they had before, feeling that they might just accomplish something this year, after all.

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**A/N: So it's pretty short, I know. But I just kinda wanted to get a setup going on into the rebellion. Thanks for reading and I will see you next chapter.**


	5. Start it Up

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Disclaimer: Not mine.

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The silence pressed down on my ears. I don't think the Great Halls ever been this quiet, not really.

Snape walked up and down between the tables, robes billowing around and behind him, hands behind his back. Everyone in there, save the Slytherins, seemed terrified. They held their breath and their eyes never left Snape, not for a moment.

"So," Snape said. "So. . . ."

His eyes were flashing. It was obvious that he was furious, incredibly. Someone coughed. Snape spun in the direction of the Ravenclaw table. "Do you find this funny? Hmm? Do you think that this is just some game?"

The third year who had coughed looked close to tears. "N-n-n-n-no sir," he stammered

Snape stared at him for a moment before moving back down the hall. "I'll have you all know that this is not at all funny! Destruction of school property! Spreading propaganda! Mentioning that hideous idea of a 'club'. . . . DUMBLEDORE!"

Everyone swivled around to the Gryffindor table, looking at Gale who (Merlin) was reading a book. I groaned inwardly. Couldn't that girl just stay out of trouble for once?

Snape swooped over to the table. Two first years scooted quickly sideways as he leaned forward between them, his face inces away from Gale's. "I'm sorry. Am I boring you?"

Of course, she didn't answer him. But it was obvious in the way that she looked at him, flicking her white ponytail over her shoulder, that he was indeed boring her.

"Maybe you can tell me then who just happened to deface the school's wall," Snape said, his voice a low whisper but everyone could still hear him. "Hmm?"

On either side of Gale, Neville and Ginny looked just as defiant, though slightly anxious. Gale, however, still continued to stare directly at Snape as if she weren't scared though I'm sure she knew what the consequences were going to be. After a minute, she touched the tip of her finger to her tongue, flipping the page of her book and going back to reading. I resisted the urge to slap my palm to my head.

If it were possible, smoke would have come out of his Snape's nostrils, the way they flared. He snatched her book from underneath her hands, throwing it halfway across the Great Hall. "Dention Dumbledore."

As if he had been summoned, Ark appeared nearby. No one really understood what the deal was with Gale and Ark. In the last couple of days, people had had detention with him but the also had detention with other teachers. Gale was the only one who was constantly sent to Ark.

My heart lept into my throat as Gale stood, looking to Ark who was smiling at her. "Come along, Miss Dumbledore."

After a moment's hesistation, Gale stood, grabbing her bag. You had to give it to the girl. She was the look of defiance, attitude, and confidence as she walked out of the Great Hall. She held her head high, back straight as she moved, ignoring the many eyes watching her. Ark followed her out on the other side of the table, taking her arm when they reached the door.

I watched them leave, vaguely aware when Snape commanded for the rest to 'get out of his face'. Everyone jumped up at once, hurrying out of the Great Hall, me among them. I heard someone called my name but by then, I was out of the Great Hall, hurrying down the hallway towards the dungeons where I knew Ark took his 'victims'.

I caught up with them halfway down the hallway, Ark still gripping onto Gale's arm. "Hold still. Struggling won't make anything better."

But Gale continued to fight against him, her ponytail flinging in the air. He sighed and the shoved her, hard, against the wall. "Hey. I said stop. What's wrong with you Gale? We used to be so close."

I don't think I've ever seen anyone so terrified. Even from where I was standing, I could see that she was shaking, her eyes wide. She shut her eyes though, turning her head as Ark reached up, grabbing a piece of her hair.

"Hey," I said, stepping forward. They both looked up and for a minute, I thought I saw relief in her eyes but it faded quickly. I moved up to Gale, gently grabbing her wrist. "McGongall wants to see her."

"And the Headmaster assigned her detention," Ark said, his eyes darkening.

"And I told you that she was no longer under your watch." I yanked her away from him, pulling her into my side. "I also told you to stay away from her."

I pulled her back up the stairs, feeling Jaspers glare on my back. When we were far enough away I turned to Gale, who was still looking shekn but I didn't care about that at the moment. "Are you insane?"

She glared at me, raising her hands in a shrug.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," I said, angry. "You purposely going out of your way to get in trouble."

Gale shook her head, moving to walk away from me but I grabbed her elbow. I sighed. "Please. Gale. Let me – please talk to me."

If possible her glare deepened. She pressed both hands against my chest and pushed me back. It was obvious she didn't want to talk to me. She shook her head again, as if she just couldn't believe me and walked away

"Gale," I called after her as she hurried down the hall. "I'm sorry!"

But of course she didn't turn around. I groaned to myself, kicking the wall.

This was definitely not going to be my year.

* * *

Gale, Nevielle, Ginny, and Luna sat together in an empty classroom, waiting.

"Do you think anyone will actually show up?" Ginny asked.

Gale nodded and Neville couldn't help to agree with her. "They're curious. They'll show up because they want to know what's going on.'

"And they want to be like Gale," Luna said, smiling.

Gale looked down. What she was doing, she couldn't really call defiance or bravery. So what was it? Draco had called her a trouble maker. She didn't know if she wanted people to be like her if all it was going to do was get them thrown in dentention.

There was a slight knock on the door, a pause, and then a single knock. Ginny opened it and Michael Corner walked in, followed by Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. Moments later Parvati and Padma appeared with Lavendar in tow. Five minutes later, Terry Boot, Ernie Macmillian, Anthony Goldstein, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, and the Creevy brothers joined the rest.

Seventeen. Their numbers had been severely cut down what with people graduating and some just refusing to come but it was still a good lot of them.

"Still recruiting, eh?" Dean said, grinning.

"Gale's idea," Ginny said, smiling. "You guys interested?"

"Don't suppose we would be here if we weren't," Terry whispered.

"Isn't this a little dangerous though?" Parvati asked. "Meeting up in an empty classroom in the middle of the night?"

"They've got the Carrows patrolling," Ernie informed everyone. He was standing by the door, peering through the window. "Not to mention Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and every other Death Eater scum they brought up here."

"And that includes that Jasper Ark character," Lavendar said with a shiver.

At his name, everyone shot a glance at Gale but she had turned her gaze to the floor. This was not about her tonight.

"This meeting won't be long," Ginny said. "We just wanted to see how many of you were still interested in the D.A."

"Well, why don't we get started?" Seamus asked. "Start tearing up stuff, yeah?"

"Don't be daft," Padma said, shaking her head. "We're no match for trained Death Eaters."

"Gale suggested that we show people that we're still here," Neville said. "That's why she graffittied the wall."

"Didn't do much good for her, though did it?" Anthony said. "She still got detention. And she won't even talk! How much help can she give us?"

"Gale was brave enough to come back here even after everything that happened last year," Luna said softly. "And she's done more standing up to the Carrows and Snape in the last four days than any of us have ever thought to do. So Anthony . . . what have you done?"

The boy fell silent, looking away from Luna's dreamy gaze.

"This is just for us you guys," Ginny said. "We know we're no match against fully trained Death Eaters but . . . I for one, refuse to sit in class while Alecto criticizes Muggles and Muggleborns and Amycus continus to torture students and let them think I'm scared. I want to do something, even if I'm not fighting back directly. Just like Harry did two years ago when he started the D.A."

There was a moment of silence for Harry, Hermione, and Ron. No knew where they were or what they were doing and all they could do was hope that the trio was still safe.

"So . . . what do we do?" Justin asked. "I heard they were torturing students in detentions."

Once again, everyone looked to Gale. Out of all them, she was the only one who had had detention thus far. She sighed and nodded, moving her hair slightly so that everyone could see her eye which was still slightly purple after her first detention with Ark.

"This is so we know, you know, that we can count on each other," Neville said. "We're not trying to tell to be purposely defiant but . . . don't just sit there and complain. If you want to do something, do it. Just – be careful. I want to see you all reach Commencment."

"For some reason, I seriously doubt there will be a Commencment this year," Dean said, sadly.

It was probably true, Gale realized. The Seventh years would probably have to come back next year to take their N.E.W.T.s. This was no kind of environment to learn in.

"Well, I'm in anyway," Colin said and Dennis nodded. They both reached in their pockets and pulled out their D.A. Galleons.

Gale smiled and pulled out hers. Neville, Ginny, and Luna followed, glad that this was semi going to plan.

Justin was the next to pull out his Galleon, and then Padma, Parvati, and Lavender. Soon, everyone had their coins out in an agreement.

"Gale." Everyone looked up at Seamus who was grinning. "Are you going to teach us that graffetti thing or what?"

Gale smile widened and she pulled her wand from her pocket.

* * *

The next morning, in various places around the school, it could be read:

_**WE SHALL PREVAIL!**_

* * *

**A/N; Sorry it took me forever to update. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned.**


	6. Standing Up

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

I don't know how they managed to do it, I thought, staring at the walls where yet another symbol was painted on the wall: the Gryffindor lion eating the Slytherin snake.

No one ever managed to catch them.

Common Rooms were monitored along with every possible link for communication so how they were managing it, I had no clue.

Neither did Snape and it was making him furious.

The only possible, unproven link they had to the crimes was Gale. Of course, they expected Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood too but Snape was still pissed at Gale for not telling him where Potter, Granger, and Ron Weasley were. I tried to watch out for her, trying to make sure she didn't get detention with Ark, trying to find excuses to keep him away from her, hoping it wasn't too obvious.

But the so called 'D.A.' members were bold. Those who were expected to be a part of it acted out in class . . . especially Longbottom and Gale.

"The Cruciatus Curse," Amycus said, tapping his wand in his hand, an evil grin on his face. "Today, you're going to learn it and use it."

Amycus walked to the door, pulling it open. "Well what are you waiting for? Get in here!"

I looked up as four kids walked into the room, looking wary. They couldn't have been more than third years, one of them a fourth year Hufflepuff who looked as if she were trying not to cry.

"Today," Amycus said, closing the door. "We'll be practicing."

Whoa.

Now, even this wasn't something I could agree with.

Practicing the Cruciatus Curse on kids?

What was he thinking?

My fellow Slytherins looked as if they couldn't be more excited, especially Crabbe and Goyle. They pulled their wands out, tapping them on the desk, grinning at the younger kids.

"Now who wants to go first?" Amycus asked. This was the first time I ever saw Crabbe and Goyle get so excited about class. But Amycus pass over all of them, focusing on the back rows where all the Gryffindors were watching horrified. "How about you, Longbottom?"

The class swiveled around to face Longbottom, who had visibly paled, his fingers clenching the edge of his desk. Gale sat next to him, her eyes fixed on the fourth year girl, wide with horror.

"Come on now," Amycus was saying. "Don't be shy. . . ."

"N-n-no." It came out shaky and slightly unsure but it was still a definite no.

The smile on Amycus's face fell. "What did you say boy?"

"No." Longbottom sat back in his seat, pulling his shoulders straight and unclenching his hands.

"It wasn't a request boy, it was an order. Come up here and do what you're told."

"No. I'm not going to perform that Curse on a little kid just for your sick pleasure."

Amycus's cheek twitched and he snarled, raising his wand. People duck as a red whip came from his wand and slashed against Longbottom's cheek, just under his eye. The Gryffindors screamed in outrage and horror, Gale jumping up to check on her friend. Amycus ignored them all though, focusing on the Slytherins. "How about one of you lot?"

Crabbe leaped from his seat, heading towards the little fourth year who was now cowering in the corner.

And I realized then how much of a coward I was.

Because I looked away.

* * *

"Longbottom, there is a time and a place for you to show cheek," McGonagall said in Transfigurations class. She took Neville's face and turned it so she could see the fresh bandage Gale had just put on (they kept getting bloody really quickly).

"But you can't say you aren't proud of him," Seamus said, grinning.

Surprisingly the woman smiled, a small smile as she patted Neville on the shoulder. "I am encouraged . . . but I wish you all didn't feel necessary to put yourself in immediate danger. You are after all in my charge while you are at this school and I really hope to see you all make it to the end of the year."

The seventh year Gryffindors, Neville, Gale, Seamus, Dean, and Lavender, were fine to have this one moment with someone they could talk to since they all were taking Transfigurations for N.E.W.T.s. Of course, they still studied Transfigurations but at some moments they talked with McGonagall and it was a small class, easy to be in.

"What else can we do, Professor?" Lavender asked. "Sitting back gets us in trouble too! I mean, look at Gale! She's gotten detention with Ark more times than you can count on two hands and a majority of those times she hasn't even done anything."

Gale smiled however, shrugging. She was fine . . . still terrified at the thought of spending more time than she had to with Ark but she was fine.

"You have all been braver than anyone could ask for," McGonagall admitted. "But you must be careful. Try not to take things too far, won't you?"

The door opened but the Gryffindors were all ready. Wands were already still on their desks and notes for that day's class were on the board. It looked as if they had just had a normal lesson.

"Try not to take what too far, Minerva?" Snape asked, striding into the room.

"Why their Transfigurations of course," McGonagall said. "Transfiguring an object into an animal is a difficult task. If you aren't careful, if you take things too far, you could kill the poor thing."

Snape looked as if he didn't believe a word of that but he didn't say anything else. Instead, his eyes focused on Gale. "Come with me Dumbledore."

What?

She hadn't done anything, not that she could think of, unless he knew that she was one of the students behind the graffiti (which she was sure he already knew anyway).

"Snape we're in the middle of a lesson, to prepare them for their N.E.W.T.s," McGonagall said, fiercely. "I have tolerated you so far, despite what you are doing but I will not have you ruining my students' education in their last year."

Snape and McGonagall glared at each other for a long time, the Gryffindor students watching as if waiting for a duel at that very moment. As expected, Snape was the first to look away, his eyes diverting quickly to Gale and then back. "Very well."

With a swoop of his robes he left, slamming the door shut.

"Way to go Professor!" Dean said, gazing at his teacher in awe but McGonagall had turned her attention back to Gale, both of them wondering the same thing.

What had he wanted with her now?

* * *

**A/N: hmm, I wonder what on earth Snape could possibly want with our Heroine now. Stay tuned for the next chapter.**


	7. Breakdown

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

I followed the sound of the commotion, which led me to the Gryffindor tower.

People were shouting, angry and I jumped back out of the way as a trunk was flung from the portrait hole, a very surprised Fat Lady crying out.

Snape appeared next, dragging along Gale who looked incredibly confused.

Longbottom showed up next. "You can't do this! She hasn't done anything! Professor, you have to stop him!"

McGonagall appeared suddenly beside me, rushing forward. "Severus this is highly unorthodox!"

"She has been disruptive," Snape snarled. "She is a delinquent and I will no longer let her influence the other students."

"You can't just take her away from her dorm!" McGonagall argued. "Where will she go?"

"That has already been arranged." Everyone, the watching Gryffindors, Longbottom, Snape, McGonagall, and I, looked up as Ark approached. He took his wand from his pocket and I saw Gale cringe, moving behind Snape. Ark smirked and used his wand to raise her trunk in the air. "Come along, Gale."

Gale yanked free of Snape and moved to McGonagall, who wrapped her arms around the girl. "Secluding her will not do anyone any good. This is wrongful punishment!"

"New reign, new way of life," Ark said. He walked forward and grabbed Gale's arm, pulling her down the hall, her trunk bobbing along behind her.

If Gale could talk right now, I'm sure she'd be screaming.

* * *

They had but her in a small room near the dungeons equipped it with a bed, a desk, a miniature grandfather clock and a bathroom.

Ark could come and leave now as he pleased. I heard him say that when he took her there. . . . I followed, wanting to make sure he didn't hurt her.

"Welcome to your new room," Ark said. He waved his wand and her trunk opened, her things jumping out and unloading themselves into the dressers and closets. Her trunk lined up against the bed and closed. "Enjoy. I'll be able to keep a watch on you now."

He turned and left her there standing in the doorway where she didn't move. As soon as he was gone, I walked up to her, reaching out to her shoulder. "Gale."

She moved forward into the room. I followed her, closing the door. She moved over to the desk, picking up the lamp that sat there.

"I'm really sorry, Gale," I said, slowly, softly as she turned the lamp in her hands. "This is all not going the way it should have been."

Her hands tightened around the lamp for a second before she threw it at my head.

I ducked and it shattered against the door. "Gale!"

But she wasn't listening to me. She started throwing stuff, tearing up the room. She threw her desk chair, knocked her things off the desk, pulled open drawers and threw her clothes to the ground, ripped her things down from the hangers in the closet, knocked over the grandfather clock, pulled the sheets from her bed, ripped down the curtains. . . . And I could do nothing but watch, my back pressed against the door.

She collapsed then, covering her face in one hand and breaking into quiet sobs.

Hesitantly, I approached her, kneeling down in front of her. I pulled her into my arms and she clung onto the front of my shirt, crying against my chest. I was fairly sure that this was the first time she had cried since her cousin was killed.

"I'm sorry," I whispered because I didn't know what else to say. Gale was shaking. It was like a complete breakdown. I felt completely helpless and there was nothing I really could do for but hold her in my arms until she stopped. "I'm so sorry."

We fell asleep like that, on the floor with Gale still in my arms. I'm surprised she hadn't pushed away from me yet.

I woke up first, a couple of hours later, my back slightly sore but I didn't really care. Gale was still asleep so I tried not to move to much as I took my wand from my pocket and waved it around the room. Things began to jump back into place, righting themselves.

Gale turned over but she didn't wake. Carefully, I lifted her up and put her in her fixed bed, covering her with the blankets. I turned to leave when her fingers wrapped around my wrist.

She shook her head, still half asleep but her eyes pleading.

"Okay," I said, softly. "Okay, I'll stay."

I laid on top of the covers but Gale pushed herself into my arms, wrapping her arms around my waist. Soon, she was asleep again

Maybe this was our way of starting over. . . . I hoped it was. I missed her so much it hurt. I didn't like her glaring at me. I wanted to see her happy again, smiling. . . .

"I'll protect you," I whispered against her hair.

Because I hadn't been able to before and I felt as if I owed her.

I loved her.

* * *

**A/N: So I'm sorry it's short but here it is. Stay tuned for the next chapter.**


	8. Maybe?

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

There was a knock on the door and Gale found herself smiling.

If it had been Neville, Luna, or Ginny, they would have used the coins.

Ark . . . well, Ark didn't knock. He just barged his way in. Once, she had been getting dressed. She shivered as she always did when she thought of how his eyes had lingered on her, clad in her skirt and bra. It had made her feel dirty and she took to getting dressed in the bathroom now.

So, since Neville, Luna, or Ginny hadn't activated the coins and Ark didn't knock, that left one person.

Draco peeked his head in, giving her a hesitant smile. "Hey."

Gale wiped the smile from her face and raised her hand in a gentle wave.

No.

She was still angry with him for everything that happened, still wished she could tell him off like she wanted too . . . but she couldn't help but admit that having him around made her feel protected.

It seemed like she was making the same mistake all over again . . . hiding her 'relationship' from her friends. . . . Would it only end in disaster again?

He did seem incredibly regretful about the whole thing . . .

No.

She would not fall for him again.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, softly.

She shrugged, wincing slightly at the pain in her shoulder. Draco gave her a look and she sighed, taking off her robes which were draped over an old t-shirt. Rolling up her sleeve, she showed him the almost fresh slash in shoulder. Ark had gotten angry once more and this was the result of it. It was unavoidable.

Draco cursed quietly, pulling his wand from his pocket. He glanced up at her. "I'm not, you know, great with medical magic but I can, er, try to make it so it doesn't hurt so much."

Gale nodded. His fingers brushed against the bare flesh of her arm, sending goosebumps along the back of her neck.

No.

She looked away when the tip of his wand came in contact with her shoulder but she couldn't help but look back up at him and into those slate gray eyes that were watching her so very intently.

No.

She wouldn't, she thought to herself as Draco put down his wand. "Does that feel better?" he asked.

Gale nodded, still stuck on him. This couldn't be happening . . . not again.

She told herself she wouldn't ever be near him again. It hurt too much. What he had done was unacceptable.

"Was – was that the first time you've cried since . . . it happened?" he asked suddenly, shocking Gale out of her thoughts.

Looking away from him, she turned to the lamp that she had thrown at his head, perfectly fixed. Sighing, she gave a jerky nod of her head. She hadn't cried at the funeral and hadn't cried all summer. She didn't call it being strong and she didn't think crying would make her weak but . . . she had always thought that if she let herself cry, that might make it final. That would have to mean that Albus was gone for good, never coming back and she was here, alone. Being forced into that tiny room had made her realize it. As she had walked through the door, she couldn't help but think what on earth was she supposed to do now, stuck alone with her thoughts and her nightmares and the constant threat of Ark being able to check up on her whenever he wanted to. . . . She fell apart as if her heart had just cracked into a million pieces.

And then there was Draco. . . .

Merlin why did he have to be so good looking?

"I really am sorry," he said, softly. "Even if it's hard to believe, even if it's hard to take back all that I've done, I'm sorry. I – I really did try to stop it from happening. If you never speak to me, never smile at me, never look me at me again, it's fully understandable. But –"

He looked up at her, eyes bright and intense, pleading even. He so wanted to be forgiven, she could see, for the mistakes that he made.

"If you, you know, feel like crying so more. . . ." the suggestion trailed off as he didn't know how to finish it.

But Gale sort of knew what he was going to say. Not being able to help herself, she smiled. Draco seemed astonished at the sight of it. "There it is," he said so quietly that Gale wasn't even sure she had heard it.

His hand, which had still been resting on her opposite shoulder moved up to her neck, his fingers catching in the tendrils of hair that hung down from her messy bun.

No.

But she was leaning forward, shocked into a standstill by the touch of his fingers against the back of her neck and in her hair. . . .

No.

She could feel his light breathing on her lips and knew that he could feel her pulse speed up under her palm.

They kissed.

Yes.

She wanted this. She really, really wanted this.

The kiss intensified and Gale found herself clutching onto the front of Draco's robes as she would if this were her last chance on air.

It should be impossible for her to be this affected by someone. She was only seventeen, turning eighteen. It should be impossible for her to be this in love with someone.

Love?

Yes, she could honestly say that she was in love with Draco Malfoy, despite what he had done . . . that's why it had hurt so much that he had betrayed her. She had opened her heart and soul to him and he had come in.

She was in love with Draco no matter the consequences, no matter that she wasn't sure how long it would take for her to trust him again. She was well on the way to it.

Harry wouldn't agree. Neither would Ron or Neville. She was fairly sure that Hermione and Ginny would be upset but would still listen. But Luna . . . Luna would just want to her to be happy.

And, Merlin forbid, she was happy with Draco.

They broke apart, Draco resting his forehead against hers. "I love you," he said and then he opened his eyes, as if he surprised himself and as if he were scared of her answer.

Without looking away from him, Gale plucked her wand from her bedside table, using it to write.

_**I'm still angry with you.**_

Draco quickly read the words before looking back at her. "I know."

_**What you did was horrible**_.

"I know."

_**But**_

The word glittered in the air for a minute before fading away. Gale looked to him, watching her and she smiled, raising her wand once more.

_**I love you.**_

* * *

**A/N: So what do you think? I hope you guys don't think Gale gave in to easily. It was bound to happen eventually. Hope you liked it. Stay tuned.**


	9. Something's happening

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

"Quiet."

"Hurry."

A group of students from the D.A. ran through the hallway, silent like mice. All that could be heard was the occasional wisp of robes and an intake of breath that shown visible in the cool air of the corridor.

They used the moon to guide them, scared that wands might give them away. . . . They scattered down the hallway to different teachers' offices.

One figure reached into their pocket and pulled out a Galleon, pressing down on it. Down the hallway and in different wings of the school, the other six felt their coins heat up in their own pockets and each pulled out their wands, pointing them at the doors.

* * *

**Draco**

"They are getting pretty bold," I muttered to myself, looking at the door that led to Snape's office.

Scrawled across it in graffiti that dripped said: _**ROTTEN**_

On the Carrows' office doors someone had written '_**RATS**_'

But on other offices, like McGonagall's, Flitwick's, Sprout's and even Binn's, the graffiti was neatly painted and said stuff like '_**Brilliant' **_and '_**Magnificent**_'.

It was a bold move. It was a really bold move.

I guess they got bored. I mean, after all, it was Christmas and the leaders (besides Gale) had all gone home. And, well, I had been with Gale last night so I know it wasn't her. . . .

That wouldn't stop Ark and Snape from thinking so, though.

I think McGonagall and the other teachers realized the same thing. They kept her busy, away and hidden from Ark and Snape. Each time they got word of one of the two men heading towards their office, Gale was shipped off through the floo to someone else. It was really very nice of them to protect her.

Snape was furious.

"I want you to keep a better eye on them," he told me when I sat in his office.

"I have been," I said, blankly.

"Not a good enough one, then!" Snape screamed. "The fact that they were able to do this –"

"Just means they're sneaky right?" I asked. I smirked, trying to appease him. "It just means that they're scared to do this stuff while you guys are watching. Talking out in class is nothing. People do it all the time. They're scared and that's a win for you, isn't it?"

Snape seemed to contemplate this. I left him to it. Students would be coming back from Christmas and it would be better if he didn't take his anger out on them.

I spotted Gale in the Great Hall. She gave me a small smile that I returned. I knew that she still had yet to completely forgive me but the fact that she was on her way gave me hope.

"Gale!"

Almost everyone looked up as Longbottom and Ginny Weasley came running into the room, on one hand looking glad to see their captive friend and on the other looking worried. They both sat down across from her and the three of them leaned close together.

I looked around to the Carrows who were grinning wickedly, watching the three Gryffindors.

What was going on?

* * *

_**They took Luna**_

The words glimmered in the air for a second before fading. I looked back to Gale whose face was streaked with tears.

Well, it would explain why my parents had sent for me to come home which I didn't really mind. It wasn't as if I was actually learning anything here.

But I didn't want to leave Gale alone. I told her so and she shook her head, holding up her wand again.

_**Please**_**. **_**Please, you have to make sure she's alright.**_

"Okay." I told her. "Okay, I'll go home and check, but what about you?"

_**Neville will watch over me**_

It he wasn't too busy getting in trouble himself, I thought, but I nodded. Leaning forward, I pressed a kiss against her forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Please, please try to stay out of trouble."

Gale gave me a half hearted nod and I gave her a half-hearted smile. If trouble came, it would find her, as we both knew. It didn't matter if she tried to stay out of it.

I left her room, checking, as I always did to make sure Ark wasn't watching.

He was no where around but you could never tell with him.

Pulling my hood over my head, I hurried down the corridor.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry, I'm kind of having a writers' block. I hope you guys liked this though and I'll see you guys next chapter.**


	10. Trouble

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N: So it's been a minute yay? I hope I can finish this story now and that you like it. Thanks a bunch :-D**

* * *

_**Gale,**_

_**Blue-eyes safe with red-heads.**_

_**Taking anyone who resists. You need to keep out of trouble.**_

_**Coming back soon. **_

Gale and Neville sat together in her little chamber, saddened but relieved as they read through the letter. Luna was safe with the Weasleys they assumed which may mean that Ginny was too because she didn't come back from Easter Holiday.

Gale looked up to Neville who seemed to be thinking. He met her gaze shaking his head. "I'm not sure what to do anymore, Gale. After Michael, people aren't going to want to do anything anymore. They're scared. I don't blame them."

The other girl nodded. Poor Michael. He had been very brave to try and free those first-years but it hadn't gotten him more than a trip to the Hospital Wing after the Carrows were through with him.

Gale picked up her wand, waving it into the air. _That leaves you,_ she wrote, staring at him with worry.

Neville nodded. "But they don't have anything on me, not yet anyway. I'll keep quiet though," he reassured her when she took his hand. "I promise."

Turns out though, that wasn't necessary.

* * *

The owl post arrived the next morning, a brown owl landing in front of Neville's plate With Luna and Ginny gone, they had let Gale out of her prison, figuring maybe that her rebellious ways would be cut down without their team there. Gale was only intent on watching out for Neville and he for her.

Neville took the letter quickly, opening it. Gale leaned over to read.

_My Dearest Grandson,_

_I'm writing to let you know your Gran's still kicking. They came after me the other night wands ablaze, but I'll tell you I still got a lot of power in these old bones._

_I'm moving quickly but I just wanted to stop and let you know how proud of you I am. I've heard of all your doing up at that school of yours and figured it must be causing those lunatics trouble if they're coming after me. I'm so, so proud of you though and I want you to keep it up. Stay strong, Neville, and stay smart._

_You are truly your parents' son, Neville. They would be proud._

_Love,_

_Gran_

Neville and Gale looked up at each other, grinning but then Neville's grin fell, looking just to the right of Gale's ear. Gale turned in her seat, their attention now directed to teachers' table. The Carrows were glaring in their direction. Obviously, news of the Death Eater's defeat at the hands of the old witch had reached them.

"I think we'll be expecting trouble today," Neville muttered. Gale only nodded before turning back to breakfast.

* * *

Neville and Gale sat in McGonagall's class, eyes ever watching. The whole school seemed tense, suddenly, as if they were waiting for something.

Snape and the Carrows had been discussing something that day, two days ago after breakfast, their eyes ever intent on Neville. Obviously they had planned this, going after Neville's Gran hoping to keep him from causing more trouble but graffiti continued to pop up around school. Even if it wasn't Neville, he was still the cause of it all taking place in the first place and for that, he was a threat.

The bell rang and everyone jumped. McGonagall cleared her throat. "You're all dismissed. Longbottom, Dumbledore . . . can I see you for a moment?"

The rest of the class headed out while Neville and Gale walked to the front of the class. McGonagall pulled down the blind on the door, turning to the two teens.

"You'll need to hide," she said, much to the surprise of the other two.

"Hide?" Neville asked. "But – but Professor, we can't just hide."

"There is a time for bravery, Longbottom and there is a time when one needs to realize that they have to stand down. The Carrows and Severus are angry. With your grandmother out of their grasp, they have nothing to hold over you anymore. They'll come after you and if you see that coming, you need to hide and take Gale with you. They'll come after her next without you here."

McGonagall smiled softly at them. "You have done well but now you need to be safe."

With those words, she opened the door. Neville nodded at her, taking Gale's hand and leading her into the crowded hallway.

"Hey!" Neville and Gale glanced back over their shoulders. The Carrows were heading straight in their direction, backed up by a gang of Slytherins.

"Not good," Neville muttered, moving faster through the crowd now. Students moved out of their way before crowding back together, effectively blocking the Carrows and the Slytherins.

"MOVE!" Alecto yelled, wand crackling with power. The others did that then, quickly backing out of the way.

Neville gave Gale's hand a mighty tug and they started running, their feet pounding against the stone ground. They ran up the stairs, gasping for air. Behind them, they could hear Alecto and her gang getting closer.

_A place to hide!_ Gale screamed in her head. _Where can we hide!_

A door appeared suddenly to her right. She pulled on Neville's hand, pulling him back and flinging the door. They stumbled inside just as Alecto and the rest reached them, the door slamming closed and locking.

Neville took a deep breath. "That was close."

Gale nodded, turning. Her eyes widened in surprise and she tugged on Neville's sleeve. The boy turned around, just as shocked. Waiting for them, in a small room, was two red hammocks. The Gryffindor emblem stood out, proud, in the background.

Neville smiled. "Looks like Hogwarts was expecting us."

Gale grinned back.

You just had to love Hogwarts.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys liked this. It's been a minute so it was hard to catch on. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time.**


	11. The Room

**Disclaimer: If the lawyers call, tell them I know the world of HP doesn't belong to me.**

* * *

And so the Room of Requirement became Neville and Gale's new home. It provided beds and a safe haven and Neville had figured the room out well enough that the Carrows weren't able to find a way in.

The only thing it didn't provide, of course, was food.

Gale's stomach growled loudly and she looked up at Neville who nodded. "I'm hungry too. I wish we could get some food."

There was a clatter and the two friends jumped, looking towards the opposite wall. A picture frame now hung from a single hook. Exchanging glances, the two moved forward, curious.

A girl smiled out at them from in front of a long tunnel. She couldn't have been more than seven, if that and now she waved at them, beckoning.

"What do you suppose she wants?" Neville muttered, not really expecting an answer but needed to express his thoughts.

Gale shrugged, however, moving forward slowly. The little girl grinned, pointing at the side of her frame. Gale looked back at Neville before curving her fingers around the edge of the frame and pulling.

The frame moved, opening like a little door and showing a tunnel just like the one in the picture. Gale climbed up into the tunnel, Neville grabbing hold of her tattered robes.

"We don't know where this goes," he told her, shaking his head.

Gale shrugged. There was only one way to find out. She placed her hand on his shoulder before climbing completely into the tunnel. Turning slightly she held out her hand and was glad when Neville took it, climbing into the tunnel behind her and up the short flight of steps.

They walked, the tunnel sloping down. Gale wondered where this led. Would they end up right back into the clutches of the Carrows and Snape or would this lead them out of Hogwarts? They couldn't just leave Hogwarts, not with everyone who was counting on and worrying about them.

"Suppose we've left Hogwarts, eh?" Neville said after they had been walking quite a ways.

Gale almost nodded but then she saw the light nearing the end. From where she was, she could make out the dim glow of a fireplace. They walked down another short flight of stairs, Gale pushing at the back of the picture frame in front of them.

They came face to face then with a wand. The man holding the wand was tall with long, stringy, wire-gray hair and beard. Bright blue eyes glared at them from behind dirty lenses. He lowered his wand, his eyes widening at the sight in front of him. "Gale?"

Gale's eyes adjusted, realizing they were in the Hog's Head, the bar, and a large smile came to her face. Quickly, she jumped out of the tunnel, clambering over the mantle and into the arms of the man in front of them. Turning, she motioned for Neville to join them and he did so, hesitantly.

"Gale, what are you doing here?" the man asked. "I thought you were with Potter, away from that madhouse of a school!"

Gale shook her head, gesturing to the portrait and back to herself. When the man continued to stare at her in confusion, she threw her hands up in frustration, gesturing to Neville.

The barkeep looked to him. "What happened to your face, boy? What's wrong with her?"

"Like you said, it's a madhouse up there. And Gale - she hasn't spoken since – since Professor Dumbledore was killed," Neville explained. "He's her uncle."

"I know who he is." The barkeep stuck out his hand. "Aberforth Dumbledore. I'm her uncle as well."

Neville shook his hand, dumbfounded. "Neville Longbottom. . . . This whole time, you've worked here?"

"I'll be asking the questions," Aberforth replied with a frown. "Here sit, sit. Are you hungry?"

Gale nodded enthusiastically, pulling Neville to the table in the middle of the room. Aberforth watched them for a moment before moving downstairs. Neville turned back to the picture of the little girl who smiled vacantly at him.

A moment or so later, Aberforth returned with a tray, holding butterbeer and sandwiches. "Now. . . . Tell me what's going on."

So Neville did all the talking, obviously, glancing at Gale every so once in a while. It was clear as day that she wasn't as close to Aberforth as she had been to his brother. Her body language said it all, really but still she looked happy to see the man, a semblance of some sort of family.

"The room sent us here," Neville finished.

Aberforth gazed at the both of them for a moment, reminding Neville eerily of Professor Dumbledore. Then the man settled back into his seat. "You two are either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. I'm can't figure that out yet. But I'm glad you're at least safe, even if you're still stuck in that place."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Alright. Here's what we'll do. If you promise me that you'll both _stay in that room_ I'll be sure that I'm always available to provide you both with food when you need it. Got it?"

Gale nodded enthusiastically. Neville grinned. "Of course! We weren't ever planning on leaving the Room of Requirement. We're waiting for Harry before we can strike up anything."

Aberforth shook his head. "Stupid boy. Should have left England months ago if you ask me. Hurry up and get back before the Room decides it doesn't want you there anymore."

* * *

A week or so later found Neville and Gale still in the room but, like Aberforth said, at least they were relatively safe. The room provided everything, from two sleeping hammocks to books for studying and such (something Gale had requested). By then, Neville had had the room completely figured out. They almost lost everything again when they had gotten back after that first trip to Aberforth's. The Carrows had almost gotten inside but as soon as they stepped foot back into the room, the door was locked again. So now, Gale made the trips to the bar to get them food Aberforth faithfully provided.

"Well, it's not Hogwarts made but at least it's something right?" Neville asked Gale, when she handed him some bread and soup.

The girl nodded, reaching for her own food . . . only to drop it when a knock sounded on the door.

She and Neville exchanged glances before Neville hopped to his feet, motioning for her to stay where she was. He took his wand from his pocket, approaching the door. "I need a way to see who's outside."

At his request, something like a peephole formed on the door, Neville leaning up to see through it. Gale watched as his body sagged with relief before he pulled the door open quickly. "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" he hissed.

Gale grinned as Seamus and Michael Corner rushed into the room, Neville slamming the door shut behind him. Seamus's face was horribly puffy, beaten to a pulp as he was while Michael still looked worse for wear from when the Carrows had tortured him. Still. . . .

"Boy are we happy to see you two!" Seamus had yelled, grabbing Gale into his arms. "And look! You were expecting us?"

Gale went to shake her head but when she turned around, she saw that there were two more hammocks and the room had expanded, now providing them with ample room.

"So what do we do now?" Michael asked, hopping into a hammock.

Neville looked over to Gale before he shrugged. "We wait it out. Harry, Hermione, and Ron are still in England and possibly even heading here! Until then, we make sure we stay safe in here, make sure other D.A. members know that there's a place to go. And when Harry gets here we strike and we get our school back."

Seamus grinned, the smile seemingly distorted by his beaten face. "Sweet."

Neville and Gale looked at each other again, grinning.

The school would belong to them again.

They'd make sure of it this time.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you guys liked it. Sorry it took me so long to update! Thanks for reading and I'll see you guys next time. There will probably only be two more chapters!**


	12. Face It

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N: Hello to Story Alert reader: PintoNess and Twilight2929. You're great!**

* * *

There was a sound like a knocking and Gale looked up, Neville following her gaze to the portrait of Arianna Dumbledore, who was smiling at them. She waved, pointing at Neville before pointing behind her. Neville looked back to Gale with a grin. "I think I know what this means. I'll be back everyone!" he called to the rest.

Neville climbed through the portrait hole and Gale looked to 'the rest'. Two weeks had passed since Seamus and Michael had shown up and no the room was practically full (though she was sure it would expand if more people decided to come live). Now, the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tapestries hung along side Gryffindor, little hammocks in different colors spread across the room. If Gale had been amazed by Hogwarts when she first arrived she certainly was now.

Still. . . .

She couldn't help but remember the time she had come in here before and the room had held nothing more than a small couch and a fire place. . . . Cozy she had called it and it had made her wary but, she kind of wished she had chosen to spend time in there with –

Merlin, did she actually miss Draco?

Over her time spent in here, she had thought about him often, hoped he was okay, hoped that he hadn't done anything stupid . . . just plain hoped because hope was really the only thing she had left nowadays.

A few months ago (had such a short amount of time really gone by? It felt as if it had been ages), she had told him she loved him and that much was true. She was still hurt by his deception but . . . not so much so. She couldn't shake the feeling that if Albus had wanted to escape, being the powerful wizard that he had been, he could have. . . . But he didn't. He stood there and he let Snape kill him.

Aberforth always said that Albus was constantly planning, plotting. . . . Could he have deceived even her? What was the real reason he had wanted her to attend Hogwarts? Was it because he knew he was going to die?

Gale heard a rustle that signified the return of Neville from the portrait hole. She looked to the grandfather clock, not realizing how much time had passed while she thought. Neville climbed through, a wider grin lighting his features. "I told you! I told you they'd come!"

Gale stood at the back of the crowd as everyone surged forward.

"Harry!"

"Harry's back!"

"It's Ron!"

"Hermione!"

A smile came to Gale's face and as soon as the crowd was clear she rushed forward into Harry's arms.

"Gale!" he shouted in surprise before he hugged her back. Ron grabbed her next and then Hermione.

"We were so worried!" Hermione told her.

"The papers said Ark is here," Ron explained. "Neville's told us a lot about what's been going on. Are you alright?"

Gale nodded enthusiastically and Neville stepped forward. "Ark has tried everything but Gale's strong. We've all been keeping her safe."

"So what's the plan Harry?" Seamus asked, interrupting their moment.

Gale watched the worried expressions on her friend's faces as the others asked for information, saving the school. Of course she knew what was going on and, not that she wasn't happy to see them, but she could tell that this was it.

She needed to swallow her fear of Jasper Ark now. . . . Before it was too late.

* * *

I wasn't sure where to start looking.

The school was in uproar now that the Slytherins had left and students and teachers running around, fighting. They didn't even notice me.

I sat up from my slump against the wall. Goyle was still unconscious and I didn't even have a wand to bring him too. I looked back to the Room, the smoke still evident. Crabbe and I may have never been close but, for lack of a better word, he had still been a friend.

Quickly, I stood, moving Goyle into a more comfortable position before I ran out into the main hall. Bodies were strewn around. I couldn't tell if they had been friend or foe though I didn't really know what I was any more.

Where was Gale?

She hadn't been with Potter when we had been in the Room of Requirement.

Searching the floor, I grabbed an abandoned wand and actually felt a bit of remorse for whoever had been the owner.

I had to find Gale before someone else did.

* * *

Gale was running, her wand in her hand.

"Where are you going Gale?" Ark spoke from behind her, his voice low and menacing. He had managed to get her to an empty part of the castle, a part where she had never been before. She was lost . . . and alone with Ark.

"Gale. . . ."

"_Gale._"

_Gale found herself as a little girl again, running. _

_Trapped._

_This game of Cat and Mouse that was his favorite game._

_He'd set her lose, tell her to run. He gave her ten seconds to get as far as she could. And run she did._

_But he always caught her._

_She was always beaten._

_She always lost._

Gale stopped running.

She was tired. She had been running for years now, from everyone and everything.

This needed to stop.

Now.

Slowly she turned to Jasper Ark. He grinned, teeth still yellow, he still looked as if he had just gotten away from Azkaban. "This is different."

Gale's hand tightened around her wand, sparks flying out of the end. She slid one foot, raising her wand over her head. Ark's grin widened and he followed suit. "I'll finally get to end the Dumbledores."

He lunged forward, and Gale waved her wand, blocking his spell, glaring at him. She was not just some girl. She was Gale Dumbledore, the last female of the Dumbledore House. She came from greats!

He would not kill her.

And so they fought, their spells blasting against walls but missing the other by the inch. Ark's insanity was slipping, Gale saw. His spells were becoming wild as he became more and more unhinged. Not that he hadn't been crazy before but the control he had had over it was disintegrating.

But then he struck out. His spell hit her in her stomach. Gale's body spun as she was flung through the air, her arm cracking as she hit the cold stone ground hard.

She sat up painfully, facing Ark as he moved towards her. "Finally. I've been waiting for this moment for forever."

"Too bad it's not going to happen. _Reducto_!" Ark barely had a time to turn before he was blasted off his feet. He slammed into the wall, falling to the ground.

* * *

I ran forward, stuffing the wand into my pocket. Gale's eyes were widening with tears as I pulled her into my arms. "Merlin I've been looking all over this damn school for you. Are you alright?"

Gale nodded and I moved to pull her to her feet. "I'm going to get you out of here. I need to get you help."

We started to walk but then I heard a noise behind me. I stopped momentarily before I moved Gale behind me, reaching for my wand but I was flung away from her, hitting the wall.

My vision was blackening in and out, my head was pounding. Gale ducked in front of me, hands on my face. I felt one of her hands reach around to the back of my head and when she pulled it away, it was red.

Blood.

Ark appeared behind her, grinning maliciously. He spoke, his voice slightly distorted. "Kill her . . . kill you. . . ."

He grabbed Gale by her hair, pulling her away from me. Every time I tried to blink the stars out of my eyes, she was farther away.

"D –"

I had failed her.

"D –"

I hadn't protected her like I was supposed to.

"Dra –"

Ark was going to kill her.

"Draco!"

* * *

It only made sense to Gale that the first word out of her mouth would be his name. She needed him so badly right now that she could barely stand it and not just because she was going to die but because he was in so much pain and she wanted to make sure he was okay.

Tears burned her eyes as she saw Draco weakly reach for her.

They were both going to die.

Ark forced her to her feet, his hand moving from her hair to her throat as he pressed her against the wall. His wand pressed to her chest. His breathing was frantic and he angrily pressed his lips against her forehead. "Goodbye Gale."

"_Avada Kedavra._"

Ark hand slipped from her throat, the surprise on his face evident as he fell to the ground dead. Gale stared down at his lifeless form before she fell to her knees, emotionally, mentally, and physically drained.

Draco limped over, kneeling in front of her. He was still bleeding but he reached forward, putting his hands on her face. "Gale?"

Her body shook and she sobbed against him, gripping onto the front of his shirt. All that fear and despair finally spilled over and she couldn't stop shaking. Draco held on for a moment before he spoke again. "Are you alright?"

Gale nodded. "Y-yes."

He smiled at her. "You found your voice."

Gale laughed slightly, taking a deep breath. "We – need – get – back."

Draco nodded, leaning forward to pull Gale to her feet again. "Hopefully this will be enough to get your friends off my case," he mumbled as she slipped her good arm around his waist to help him walk.

Gale laughed again, leaning her head against his shoulder.

She had faced her fears.

They had made it.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys liked it :-D One more chapter! Thanks everyone!**


	13. Happy

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N: Welp . . . this is it :-D Wanna just say thanks to all my reviewers and hello to new Story Alert, Author Alert, and Fav Author reader: HunterofArtemis1136; and Fav story readers: HunterofArtemis1136 and BadassAlec. You guys are awesome!**

* * *

**19 Years Later**

"Draco!"

Draco groaned, pulling the covers over his head. "No!"

He heard her footsteps, treading softly on the carpet. He knew when she came to a stop by his bed. "Come on now. Don't be such a baby."

Draco shook his head though he knew she couldn't see it. "I'm feeling sick."

"You lie." He felt the bed rock and then suddenly Gale was hovering over him, pulling the covers away. "You act as if this is the worst thing you've ever been through."

"It just might be."

"Come on," she said again. "Scorpius got up and dressed like a brave little boy. Why can't his dad?"

"Ha ha," he replied grabbing her arms. He rolled pinning her underneath him. "Why can't we just stay here? We could stay in bed all day and, well, you know. . . ."

Gale rolled her eyes, a smile on her face.

He was surprised that it had really been nineteen years. Nineteen years of trying to get back in the good graces of the Wizarding world. Nineteen years of trying to make a name for himself other than 'Malfoy'. Nineteen years with Gale.

Well maybe not a complete nineteen years but a good majority of it. Gale had spent the first couple of years after the Battle of Hogwarts with Aberforth, building a new relationship with her family. It was under Aberforth's request that she went to get the therapy she had needed for the last twelve years of her life; even though Ark was dead the nightmares still came from time to time but the therapist was helping her with that. She even was able to go back to school to repeat her last year but she and Draco kept in contact, writing back and forth throughout the summer.

Draco, on the other hand, had been completely and totally busy. He decided to skip that last year of school but in the meantime he kept in total contact with important people, purebloods and Muggleborns alike, trying to make something of himself while his father spent a good number of years in Azkaban. Draco managed though, and handled his family's business well, eventually starting his own branch.

It wasn't long after that when Draco asked her to move in with him and thankfully, she accepted (much to Potters and Weasley's chagrin). But it was a long time before he got up the nerve to ask her to marry him, much to her frustration. It got to the point where she walked up to him, holding her hand out for her ring. They were happy, though, and had been for the last eighteen years.

"Because even if you're still weary these are my friends and they've been kind enough to invite us for lunch." Gale reached up, brushing his hair out of his face. "Besides, Luna, Neville, and Ginny will be there. You like them don't you?"

Draco sighed. He hated to admit it but he actually did like the three people who had been closet to Gale that last year. They had kept her safe, especially Neville, when he couldn't and for that he was immensely grateful.

"I still don't see the point in this," he added.

"Albus, Rose, Lysander, Lorcan and Scorpius are all going to be in the same year, let's not forget Fred, Louis, Roxanne, Dominique, James, and Victorie all above them. Don't you want our son to avoid the prejudices that we had when we were their age?"

Draco decided not to point out that no matter how many lunches they had with the Potters, Weasleys, and Lovegoods, Ron would probably try to find some way for his kids to dislike his son. Instead he kissed her, saying, "I suppose so."

"Well then get up already," Gale said laughing as she gently pushed him up. "We wouldn't want to be late."

She kissed him again before going down the stairs. As much as he still didn't like her friends, he loved her and would jump from his broom if she asked him too. Draco groaned once more before getting up to get dressed. Couldn't have his son thinking that he was flaking out on their lunch 'date', now could he.

Draco smiled as he pulled out a pair of slacks.

At least they were happy.

That was all that mattered now.

* * *

**A/N: Oh wow! That's it! I hope you guys liked this story. I had a lot of fun writing it :-D thanks for reading everyone. See you later!**


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